Therapeutic electric belt



(No Model.) Y BUSH-FIELD.

THERAPEUTIC ELECTRIC BELT.

No. 376,730. Pat enfied J-an. 24- 1888; f

4M v M ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Fholu-L'rlhogzrapfiarv Washington. D. C,

UNITED STA S:

PATENT FFI f SAMUEL B. BUSHFIELD, on DENVER, COLORADO.

THERAPEUTIC ELECTRIC BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3'l6,730, dated January24, 1888.

. Application filed May 31, 1887. Serial No. 239,824. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, SAMUEL B. BUSHFIELD,

a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Denver, in the county of'Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Therapeutic Electric Belts; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains tomakeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and'to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification. Y

My invention relates to electric belts.

The object of my invention is to make improvements in the details ofconstruction of this class of devices, whereby they will be renderedmore effective in operation, more durable, and more comfortable in use.

The improvements will be hereinafter fully explained, and then pointedoutin the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an outside view of the case. Fig. 2 is aview of the same with the flaps t urned back, showing the interior chainof cells and its attachments. Fig. 3 is a view of the inside or thatportion of the belt which is to be placed next the body. Fig. 4.represents the reverse side of the adjustable positive electrodeand'itsattachments. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center of thesame. Fig. 6 is a perspective view'of the reverse side of the negativeelectrode, showing its attachments. Fig. 7 is a vertical section throughthe case, showing its construction. Fig. 8 is a. view of one of theseries of connected plates used in, the construction of thebattery-cells, showing the interior of the zinc and the exterior of thecopper and their connections. Fig. 9 is a view of the same re- .versed.Fig. 10 is a'section through the line as as, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a topview of the attachment for holding the positive pole of the belt inplace.

is constructed of a strip of material impervious to the moisturecontained in the generating agent used. and also a strip of suitablecovering material, the two sewedtogether, as indicated in the drawings.by lines a. This forms the flaps A and A and the back A of Theprojection Z is for the purpose of holding In the drawings,A representsthe case, whichone duplex piece. On the positive end of the. case,firmly attached to the interior of the back A, is the holding-strap 1),(shown in Figs.

2 and 11,) which is provided with a suitable opening for thereception-of the ring 0 on the positive endpf the cell chain B. At thisend one or more openings, d, are made through. the backs of the case tofacilitate in making connection between the cell chain B and thepositi've'electrode e,whichisformed, asshow'n, of. an annularconcave-convex disk, f, in the center of which is placed a piece of somegood absorbing material, preferably wool felt, g. A

flat copper disk, h, is placed upon the felt for j the purpose offacilitating and holdingit in I position. A copper strap, j, is thensoldered to the disks f and h. To the disk f is'soldered the copper-wireloop t, the ends of which are placed between. the absorbent and the diskh. 7o i The ends j and 9' of the strap j arethen turned over the edge ofthe case, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5. It can then be adjusted torest .at anydesired point on the belt, and is connected with the ring 0on the cell chain by theinsulated wire k, which'is provided with a snap,k, on its inner end. The wire is is laced through theopeni'ngs d in thecase. On the opposite end of the case A is attached the negativeelectrode Z,which is a conca'vo-convex disk, having projections Z:and lattached to it. The projections l are for the purpose of holding theelectrode in position in the case.

the negative end of the cell chain. Aftef being passed through the. backA, the projections Z are turned down and the projection Z is formed intoa hook, as indicated. indotted lines,Fig.6. The cell chain B consists ofa series of electrio-battery cells constructed. and connected asfollows: Zinc plates n are used of any desired shape, 'but preferablythat shown in the drawings, with vconcavo convex surfaces. These haverectangular slots at and n on either side, near the parallel edges ofthe plates,-a'nd a circular hole, 0, is formed in thecenter. Copperplates 19 are also used, which are the same form as the above-mentionedzinc plates, and these are provided with four holes, p and 11 One of thezinc plates and one of the cop- 7 per plates are hinged together by ahinge constructed of a strip of thin Sheet-copper, q, the ends of whichare passed from the convex side of the zinc plate through the slots nand n. The end passing through the slot 12. is then bent onto theconcave surface of the plate. The opposite end is bent around the copperwire r, the ends of which are passed from the concave surface of theplate 1), through the holes 19 and across the convex surface to theholes p, through which they are passed, and are then bent onto theconvex surface of the plate 0.

In the top of the copper strip 1) a circular hole is formedcorresponding to the hole 0 in the zinc plate The cell chain isconstructed of a series of these'connected plates in the followingmanner; on the concave surface of one of the copper plates (connected toa zinc plate in the manner described) are placed annular pieces of somegood absorbent, such as wool felt, u, Fig. 10, which should not extendbeyond the edges of the plate. On this an annular zinc plate, 8,(previously amalgamated with mercury to render it porous, in which statethe larger surface of zinc is presented, upon which the generating agentmay act,) is placed. Over this a zinc plate attached in the mannerdescribed is placed. The whole is then fastenedtogether by the eyelet t,which is insulated from the copper plate by a ring of insulatingmaterial, '0, preferably rubber. This process of construction is carriedon until a cell chain of the required length has been made. It will beseen that there would be an odd copper plate and an odd zinc plate atthe ends. These should be removed;and' the copper plate at one end andthe zinc plate at the other are attached by copper wire to the rings 0and c, which are held in the case in the manner before described.

In using the belt the cell chain should be taken out and placed for ashort time in an acid solution, preferably ordinary vinegar, after whichit is again placed in the case, when it is ready for use.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the generating cell chain and its inclosing-case,of the herein-described electrode,composed of the annular concavo-convexdiskf, having a central opening, a piece of absorbent material in thesaid opening at the concave side of the disk f, the metallic disk h,supporting said absorbent material in the opening, and thefastening-strap extending over the disk h and secured to the diskf, anda conductor connecting the electrode and the chain cell, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL B. BUSHFIELD.

Witnesses:

F. O. KNIFTON, B. L. PoLLooK.

